This project was an expansion of an existing Critical Operations Facility/Data
Center to essentially double the size of the Data Center and its supporting
Energy Center (Electric Service Rooms). The project provided a completely
redundant electrical service, and increased the overall cooling capacity,
as well as changing the cooling system. The existing Data Center was
16,100 square feet, the existing Energy Center was 3,620 square feet
and the Data Center Room and Energy Center were 13,650 square feet and
3,930 square feet respectively. This design also planned for the retrofit/modification
of the existing Data Center to accommodate the increased mechanical
and electrical loads from modern day data center components such as
blade servers.

Due to the increased operating costs and heat loads which are now more
prevalent in a high density Data Center utilizing blade servers, the
cooling system selection was based on the result of a Life Cycle Cost
Analysis which compared split system air cooled equipment, a condenser
water system with compressorized units in the Data Center, and a central
chilled water system utilizing chilled water units within the Data Center.
The Life Cycle Cost Analysis resulted in the selection of the central
chilled water system, basically due to system efficiency and reduced
operating costs.

The chilled water system consists of three (3) nominal 225 ton air
cooled, R-22 refrigerant, centrifugal chillers, and a 16° distribution
loop differential (40°F - 56°F). Based on heat load data for
the Day 1 build-out and projected loads for the future provided by the
Owner, the cooling system load was determined to be 450 tons. Three
(3) chillers were provided to provide an N+1 level redundancy. A packaged
pumping system utilizing close-coupled end-suction base mounted pumps
was designed as no mechanical equipment room space was available in
the footprint of the building and all equipment associated with the
chilled water system was roof mounted. The use of close coupled pumps
allowed the overall footprint of the pump house/enclosure to be minimized
while allowing required/appropriate clearance around all components
for maintenance. The pump house also includes variable frequency drives
for the circulating pumps, expansion tanks, chemical treatment systems,
and the make-up water connection to the chilled water system. The chilled
water system also utilizes a closed circuit fluid cooler to allow economizer/free
cooling operation when outdoor air conditions are capable of providing
sufficient cooling for the Data Center. This economizer is located on
grade adjacent to the building as limited low roof space was available
and roof penetrations were minimized.

The piping distribution system consists of two (2) independent chilled
water loops located below a 24" raised floor. The piping loops
are redundant in their entirety, from the roof mounted pump house to
the equipment run out connections. Distribution is variable flow controlled
by a prime valve and variable frequency drives that modulate circulating
pump speed. The chilled water distribution piping is routed in a reverse
return manner and connections have been provided for extension to the
existing Data Center when the split air cooled system serving that portion
of the facility is changed-out to chilled water.

Terminal equipment delivering conditioned air to the Data Center consists
of perimeter computer room air conditioners (CRAC) units and vertical
in-row coolers located within the rows of the high density racks of
the Data Center. The CRAC units provide a general level of conditioning
(temperature and humidity) for the entire Data Center footprint. These
units are the standard downflow units that deliver conditioned air below
the raised floor. The return air is ducted from a point just below the
Data Center ceiling to minimize stratification of hot air. The in-row
coolers provide both cooling capacity and required airflow to contain
hot air (80°F - 95°F) in the hot aisles and provide room neutral
air (±72°F) at the inlet to the blade server racks. This
approach was utilized as maintaining proper airflow across the blade
servers and proper cooling/heat removal is critical to the continued
operation of blade servers.

The branch chilled water piping to the perimeter CRAC units consists
of independent run-outs to each unit. Each run-out was connected to
each chilled water distribution loop and an automatic three-way valve
was utilized to automatically change from the operating loop to the
standby loop in the event of a loop failure. The piping runouts for
the vertical in-row coolers were extended to a maximum of four (4) units
located throughout the high density racks. This approach was used to
minimize piping runs and so that in the event of a piping failure in
the runout to any group of in-row coolers, the entire cooling capacity
for a row of racks would not be lost. The runouts for the in-row coolers
were also provided with automatic three-way valves and a connection
to each piping loop to allow automatic changeover from the primary distribution
loop to the secondary distribution loop in the event of a piping loop
failure.

In addition to conditioning the Data Center, the chilled water system
also provided capacity for cooling of the Main Electrical Equipment
Room, the UPS Room and the Battery Room. Independent environmental control
units were utilized in these areas to maintain the temperature and humidity
conditions within each room. N+1 level redundancy was provided by utilizing
additional environmental control units. Ancillary systems for the Data
Center included a 100% outside air air handling unit located above the
lay-in ceiling. The unit was a packaged unit with a close coupled condensing
section. Both the outside air and the discharge air associated with
the unit were obtained through the exterior wall to eliminate roof penetrations.
The volume of outside air was based on ASHRAE guidelines to maintain
a positive pressure condition within the Data Center, thus minimizing/eliminating
infiltration and providing dust control. An ancillary system in the
Battery Room included a two speed ventilation/purge fan operated by
a hydrogen sensor. The fan operated continuously on low speed but energized
to high speed upon detection of hydrogen above the threshold setpoint
of the hydrogen sensor.

The electrical system associated with this project included the provision
of two (2) 2 MW (1825 KW Prime rated) generators in addition to the
existing 1,750 KW (1600 KW Prime Rated) generator. The fuel oil system
for the new generators included two (2) nominal 3,000 gallon vertical
fuel oil tanks located within the building. In addition to the fuel
oil storage tanks, there is a supply and return side fuel oil transfer
pump/day tank configuration to provide positive displacement for the
fuel serving the generators as well as positive displacement for the
unburned fuel from the generators back to the main fuel oil tanks. The
fuel oil system also utilizes a filtration system and an automatic fill
station.

The Data Center Expansion consists of physically separating the existing
BGE dual service into two (2) separate electrical rooms (Energy Centers
# 1 & #2), and created a physical dual buss configuration. In addition,
two (2) 2 MW diesel fueled generators are provided to parallel with
an existing 1750 KW diesel fueled generator. All generators are prime
rated, the existing at 1600 KW and the two (2) new generators at 1825
KW. Generators are paralleled / redundant and configured such that they
can backfeed either buss (BGE services). In addition a portable generator
connecting was provided for additional generator redundancy.

The existing buss #1 consists of three (3) 500 KVA (400 KW) Liebert
UPS systems connected in parallel with a future fourth for additional
capacity or redundancy of the Liebert UPS system. The new #2 buss configuration
consists of two (2) 800 KW APC UPS systems to be fully redundant to
the existing Liebert UPS system. Each of the UPS systems extends through
a bypass and controls to an UPS distribution switchboard, utilizing
drawout breakers, similar to the existing service distribution switchboards
and new paralleling service switchgear.

The UPS systems serve a combination of high speed static transfer switch
to provide dual source feeds to existing machine room PDUs and the new
machine room RPPs. The high speed static switches serving the new machine
rooms are with transformers to step-down voltage, whereas the static
switches added to backfeed the existing machine room are without step-down
transformers.

Distribution to all the existing ECUs located in the existing machine
room, to the ECUs in the new machine room and ECUs in the new energy
center are by way of automatic transfer switch served from each Energy
Center. Transfer switches are also provided to serve the chillers and
pumps serving the new machine room air conditioning loads. 120/208 volt
distribution from each Energy Center is also provided to serve the APC
RC in-row units within the new machine room.

Plumbing for the Data Center/Energy Center expansion was limited. Under
this project, the existing domestic water and fire services serving
the building were modified to properly serve the Data Center/Energy
Center expansion and the adjacent/connected People Space Expansion.
The original facility had a nominal 500 gallon emergency water system
to allow operation of the building for a limited time in the event of
a municipal water system failure. Under the People Space Expansion project,
this system was removed and a 15,000 gallon underground potable water
storage tank was installed to allow facility operation up to five (5)
days in the event of a municipal water system failure. The system design
included an air compressor and backflow preventers which allow pressurization
of the tank when the municipal water system fails to provide sufficient
pressure and flow to the facility on an independent basis.

Fire protection systems for the facility included a combination of
wet type and preaction sprinkler systems extended from the existing
fire protection service room in the original facility.